When Will the Country Break Free from the Cycle of Eid Holiday Traffic Jams

The Eid celebration can only be joyful when people can reach their loved ones safely and comfortably. But for many, especially considering road conditions, this joy turns into anxiety. The severe traffic jam that people leave Dhaka every year during Every Eid holiday has turned into an inevitable misery. Being stuck on the highway for hours, suffering in the heat, rain, insecurity and uncertainty- the journey outside the capital in the few days before Eid becomes a torment. This year was no exception. On the contrary, the level of suffering has exceeded that of other years in many places. Even though the whole day passed, many could not cross the Gazipur junction yesterday (June 5). The same situation occurred on the Padma Bridge.

According to media reports on Friday (June 6), 25-kilometer stretch of highway from the eastern end of the Jamuna Bridge to the Tangail bypass has experienced traffic jams. According to the police, the traffic jam was caused due to the pressure of extra vehicles and vehicles breaking down on the road. In order to clear the traffic jam, the Dhaka-bound lane was closed several times through the Yamuna bridge and North Bengal-bound vehicles were allowed to cross through both the lanes. Police also noted that since Wednesday, the number of vehicles on the Dhaka-Tangail-Jamuna Bridge highway has been over three times the usual. Additionally, between Thursday night and Friday morning, 25 to 30 vehicles broke down on the 15-kilometer stretch from the Jamuna Bridge to Elenga, creating even more gridlock. It seems as if this has become a tragic fate for the nation. But surely, a permanent solution is urgently needed.

Yesterday was the last working day before the long 10-day Eid holiday that began on Thursday. It appeared as though everyone set out together on a mass exodus from the capital. There are failures on both the part of the government and the public. Many have questioned the justification for such a long 10-day holiday, which inevitably places a heavy burden on the economy. And despite this extended break, why did everyone choose to leave at the same time? That too is a valid question.

Every Eid, highways connecting Dhaka to the north, southwest, and Chattogram turn into long chains of traffic congestion. Especially in areas like Gazipur, Elenga, Nabinagar, Chandra Intersection, Bangabandhu Bridge, and Daulatdia Ghat, travelers remain stuck for hours. Minor accidents, chaotic vehicle movement, poor road conditions, and a lack of adequate traffic management make the situation even more unbearable. These problems are highlighted in the media every time. High-level promises are made. Yet, no lasting solution is ever seen in practice. As the population grows, so does the number of travelers from Dhaka, but the capacity of the highways hasn’t increased accordingly. Road repair, construction of overpasses and alternative routes, use of technology in toll collection, and the development of an integrated communication system combining rail and waterways—these are now essential needs of the time.

If we want Eid to be a pleasant and safe experience for everyone, we must urgently find a way out of this traffic jam cycle. Simply increasing administrative efforts for a couple of days before Eid will not solve the problem. What is needed is a long-term plan and its effective implementation. Making sure the public’s holiday journey doesn’t turn into a nightmare should be one of the government's top priorities. Like past governments, the current one has made many promises, but there's no visible proof of those promises being fulfilled. Now, the administration seems to be blaming the pressure of travelers and the drivers, but it cannot be denied that the authorities and law enforcement have also failed in their responsibilities behind this severe traffic crisis.